Fresh off the slip 'n slide circuit, former Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell will join the Phillies Wall of Fame this July.

Burrell emerged as the early favorite from a field of 12 deserving candidates, including Jim Fregosi and Rick Wise. He is best remembered for his double in the seventh inning of Game 5 of the 2008 World Series. The hit, which was a gust of wind away from a home run and his first hit of the series, started the tie-breaking rally that eventually won Philadelphia its first championship in 25 years.

The Phillies plucked Burrell from the University of Miami with the first overall pick of the 1998 MLB Draft. A first baseman, he was converted to play left field and joined the Phillies at the major league level in 2000 at the age of 23. Over a nine-year Phillies career, he played in over 1,300 games, receving MVP votes twice in 2002 and 2005 and hitting .257/.367/.485, with 251 home runs and 827 RBI. His eight straight season of at least 20 home runs helped put him fourth on the Phillies' all-time home run list behind Mike Schmidt, Ryan Howard, and Del Ennis.

Leaving the Phillies after the 2008 season, Burrell would go on to win a second World Series in 2010 with the Giants, for whom he now serves as a scout after 12 years in professional baseball. His Phillies immortality will begin July 31, during a 7:05 game against the Braves.

His playing career has ended, but that doesn't mean slugger Pat Burrell can no longer accomplish impressive feats — even while holding a beverage.

While being filmed by former Philadelphia Phillies teammate Chase Utley on a beach somewhere Sunday afternoon, Burrell successfully slid down a Slip 'N Slide without spilling the protein shake he was holding in one hand.

Classic. Textbook. Nobody got hurt — especially the drink. If there were a Super Bowl of Slip 'N Slides, Burrell would be a safe bet in the Beverage Division. Burrell and Utley were teammates on the Phillies from 2003-2008, winning the World Series in '08. Seven years later, Burrell's still got it athletically. Good job framing the scene by Utley. No need for more takes.

Burrell, 38, hasn't played since 2011, having moved on to the role of scout and special assistant with the San Francisco Giants. He's got two more World Series rings as an executive after batting .253/.361/.472 with 292 home runs over 12 major league seasons. Only seven stolen bases in 10 attempts in that span, though. Surprising, given his sliding acumen.

FORMER PHILLIES leftfielder Pat Burrell, who memorably led the parade down Broad Street to celebrate the ballclub's 2008 World Series championship, heads list of candidates for the team's 2015 Wall of Fame induction.

Fan voting is underway at phillies.com, and will continue through 5 p.m. Feb. 6.

Fans may vote for up to three names. Complete details of the voting process are available on the team website.

The 2015 Wall of Fame inductee will be presented by 2014 honoree Charlie Manuel at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, July 31, before the 7:05 p.m. game against the Atlanta Braves. Other Phillies Wall of Fame honorees are expected to participate.

Tickets for this and all individual games wll go on sale on Thursday, Feb. 19.

The Giants were taking batting practice prior to their 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks when a familiar face stepped up to the plate. Pat Burrell, who retired in 2011 after 12 seasons in the major leagues, was visiting his former teammates and decided to take a hack ... while wearing an outfit comprised entirely of street clothes -- khakis, a polo, Vans sneakers and a watch.

Despite the wishes of Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who can be seen waving his arms behind the cage, Burrell took his stance. The result was a familiar one for the two-time World Series champ, who pounded a home run on his only swing to the delight of the Giants broadcasting team.

I was so sick the past few days that I was surprisingly OK with having to cut my World Series trip short. Really, as Games 3 and 4 went down, there was no point — thanks to hacking, aching and stuff — where I thought “damn, I wish I was in Detroit right now.”

Well, there was one point. It was when I read on Deadpsin yesterday that, on Saturday night, Jon Heyman and Pat Burrell allegedly almost came to blows out and about in Detroit someplace. The person making the allegation: Jon Heyman:

Had to be a bit unsettling for Heyman. In person his chosen mode of defense from those who challenge him — pretending they don’t exist — may not work as well as it does on the Internet.

One Giant who had a terrible 2010 World Series made a much bigger contribution this time, though he wears no uniform, carries no bat or glove, and does not set foot on the diamond.

Team officials say rookie scout Pat Burrell made a significant contribution reporting on the Tigers. Burrell, along with former Giants catcher and Detroit resident Brian Johnson, attended the American League Championship Series between the Tigers and Yankees and provided insights that helped the front office and field staff create a game plan for the World Series.

That includes how to pitch Tigers hitters, the tendencies of Detroit's pitchers and where to station the Giants on defense.

Burrell is part of a large team involved in the process, but several Giants officials say they have leaned heavily on information provided by Burrell, who has a unique perspective, having played so recently.

"Pat has done a really remarkable job all year helping out with advancing, but also here as we're playing a team we haven't seen," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Bochy acknowledged that rookie scouts rarely get an assignment as important as advancing the World Series, "but he's a huge baseball fan. He loves the game. Even as a player, he was always one of the first guys at the ballpark. When he wasn't playing, he studied the game. He's done a great job."

Burrell helped the Giants reach the 2010 postseason but batted .143 once they got there. He was hitless in the World Series and struck out 11 times in 13 at-bats.

Toward the end of the regular season, Burrell said he was not sure what he would do for the Giants in 2013 but said he loved scouting this season. A foot injury forced him to retire last year at 35.

ST. LOUIS -- Pat Burrell helped the San Francisco Giants win the World Series in 2010 as a part-time outfielder. He is trying help the Giants win another title this October in a much different role.

Burrell is now working as a special assistant to Giants general manager Brian Sabean. Burrell has been doing a lot of scouting and his coverage includes the Washington Nationals-St. Louis Cardinals National League Division Series that opens today at Busch Stadium.

The Giants are playing the Cincinnati Reds in the other NLDS.

"I'm really enjoying scouting, especially the advance-type scouting that I'm doing in this series," Burrell said. "I'm not far removed from playing, so I'm familiar with most of the players and that helps."

Burrell played in 92 games last season and hit just .230 with seven home runs before retiring because of chronic foot problems.

"I really don't miss playing nearly as much as I thought," said Burrell, who hit 292 homers in a 12-year career with Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and the Giants. "It became really tough to play through the pain. I like what I'm doing now and I'm glad I'm still able to be in the game."

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